National Auto Sport News

Building on the success of its updated Super Touring rules structure, the National Auto Sport Association is excited to announce that it also will adopt Super Touring rules for its endurance racing series across the country.

That means the new endurance class rules will apply to the Western Endurance Racing Challenge series and will also be eligible for NASA’s new Team Racing Endurance Challenge that debuted in 2018. Existing endurance classes will equate to the new ST classes as follows:

ESR = SU

ES = ST1/ST2

E0 = ST3

E1 = ST4

E2 = ST5

E3 = ST6

NASA has also created a subset of E3 called E3S. The “S” stands for spec and will include NASA’s most popular spec classes: Spec Miata, Spec E30 and 944 Spec.

“The new class rules provide a clear long-term strategy for our enduro classes to grow and offer greater levels of competition and parity as we expand our enduro program around the country with the new TREC series,” said NASA Vice President Jeremy Croiset. “We’ve adopted our ST rules because they are the fastest growing classes in NASA, and they include virtually all makes and models of cars allowing practically any competition vehicle to race with us — in sprints and enduros.”

The change to a single rule set ensures NASA competitors will enjoy far better class parity while also allowing for NASA to conduct more thorough technical compliance should the need arise. The new rules complement NASA’s high standards of safety and professionalism to provide competitors the safest and more well organized place to race while providing even greater value for their endurance racing dollar.

The National Auto Sport Association (NASA) is proud to announce Competition Motorsport (CMS) as the new Official Motorsports Equipment Supplier of NASA for 2019. As a leader specializing in premier motorsports equipment, NASA members will be able to take advantage of CMS’s extensive knowledge and industry-leading customer service with a massive selection of motorsports gear and equipment. Through this partnership, NASA members are immediately eligible for an exclusive Members-Only discount program providing special discounts on motorsport products from the most popular brands. In addition, Competition Motorsport will offer other programs unique to the industry that will benefit all NASA participants and allow them to save money all year long! CMS created a special announcement video that includes more details on the new program that can be viewed here.

“We’re extremely excited to forge this new partnership with NASA beginning in 2019,” said Maelstrom Kiewiet, CMS Vice President of Business Development. “Our mission is to connect with the NASA racing community using our extensive product knowledge and expansive product selection from the most popular brands in motorsports to ensure NASA members have what they need when they need it. This partnership will enable us to provide NASA members with exclusive programs and product offerings unrivaled in the motorsports community.”

“We’re privileged to welcome Competition Motorsport for the 2019 season”, said Jeremy Croiset, NASA Vice President. “They’ve quickly established themselves as a leader in the motorsports equipment industry and I believe their combined industry-leading customer service and wealth of knowledge will be a benefit to all our fantastic NASA members. This new partnership program with Competition Motorsport brings even more benefits to NASA membership, as it launches unique programs and exclusive offers available only to NASA members. We look forward to working closely with CMS to bring those benefits and programs to the NASA community.”

Competition Motorsport will provide a comprehensive NASA Membership Benefits Program to all NASA members beginning in 2019. All NASA members are eligible to sign up and save on every item they order at https://competitionmotorsport.com/ (tires excluded). This program is available beginning immediately. For complete details on the 2019 NASA Membership Benefits Program, please visit: https://www.nasaproracing.com/benefits

Continuing the trend of moving its National Championships to a new track each year, the National Auto Sport Association is excited to announce that the 2019 NASA Championships Presented by Toyo Tires will continue as a singular event set to take place at the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course in Lexington, Ohio.

Just two short weeks ago, NASA hosted its largest Championship event in the company’s 28-year history with nearly 500 competitors taking part in the historic event at Circuit of The Americas. The 14th annual NASA Championships will take place at the track where it all began, where NASA held its inaugural championships back in 2006. Mid-Ohio is a track renowned among drivers for its nuance, its ever-changing weather and for Midwestern hospitality.

“I still remember our first Championships event at Mid-Ohio,” said NASA Vice President, Jeremy Croiset. “We took in all the feedback we received at our Championships event this year and ultimately decided to return to the singular Championships event format. The 2019 Championships will be our sixth time at Mid-Ohio, and it’s a track racers love. It has everything from long, fast straightaways to corners with tricky elevation and camber changes, and lots of opportunities for passing. It’s a great facility for our Championships event.”

The 2019 NASA Championships Presented by Toyo Tires is scheduled to take place Sept. 18-22, 2019.

“We look forward to welcoming some of the country’s best amateur racers back to Mid-Ohio next September for the NASA Championships,” said Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course President Craig Rust. “Crowning national champions in over 20 race classes is going to provide a great ending to our 58th season of racing in 2019.”

When more information becomes available, it will be posted at nasachamps.com.

The official results from Time Trial competition at the 2018 NASA Championships Presented by Toyo Tires are in. Time Trial drivers from across the country competed at the Circuit of The Americas Sept. 14-16 for the top honor of being the fastest of the fast. Here’s a breakdown of the 2018 NASA Time Trial champions.

TT1

No. 256 Timothy Bidwill was competing in Super Touring 1 and TT1 at Circuit of The Americas, and he won the ST1 qualifying race in the rain on Saturday. Bidwill also posted the fastest lap time in TT1 in his Porsche GT3 Cup car by more than 2 seconds. Bidwill’s lap time, a 2:21.431, also was the second fastest in all of Time Trial this year at the NASA Championships.

TT2

Running the only Lotus Exige S at the NASA Championships, No. 119 Kevin Fennell took the big win in TT2 by more than a second over his competition. In a class comprised predominantly of high-horsepower cars, Fennell proved that lighter is better by laying down a scorching 2:23.648 at the 3.4-mile track.

TT3

No. 61 Paul Costas has won his class in every Time Trial he has entered in the Texas Region since 2014. At the NASA Championships, he was driving a Corvette rather than the Camaro-bodied Trans-Am chassis he has been driving, but that didn’t seem to matter. Costas bested his competition by nearly 2 full seconds and came within .200 seconds of the faster TT2 class winner.

TT4

Shaun Webster drove his No. 38 Team Edge Motorworks BMW to a TT4 Championship and took second place in Super Touring 4, the racing class equivalent to TT4. Webster beat his closest competitor, which also was his teammate, by just over 1 second to take the TT4 Championship with a 2:29.248-second lap.

TT5

No. 33 Bryce Kliewer came all the way from Colorado to take on the best TT5 competitors in the country — and became the best TT5 driver in the country, beating his rivals by nearly 4 seconds, a huge gap in NASA Time Trial. Piloting his BMW 330i with the ZHP package, Kliewer ripped a 2:34.945-second lap time, securing his place on the top step of the podium.

TTD

In TTD, Marcelo Vine scorched his nearest competitor by more than 8 seconds, a margin nearly unheard of in NASA Time Trial. Vine laid down a 2:42.920-second lap time in his Porsche 944 on the last day of competition to take the TTD Championship.

TTE

Chris Kopitski has had a string of bad luck at Championships events in recent years. Mechanical troubles had kept him out of the running, but in 2018, Kopitski’s car was firing on all cylinders. He not only captured the TTE Championship with a lap time of 2:40.706, but also won the Championship in PTE, the racing class equivalent to TTE.

TTU

TTU is the run-anything, bring-anything class in NASA Time Trial. No. 176 Troy Messer brought his Chevrolet Corvette to take on some of the fastest cars in NASA competition. He came away with the TTU Championship, notching a win over Brian Faessler in his high-power Ford Mustang.

In a little over a month, Formula 1 will be racing at Circuit of The Americas, but the weekend of Sept. 15-16, it was all about the NASA Championships Presented by Toyo Tires. The record number of attendees, more than 450 competitors, came from NASA regions all across the country to race at a track many drivers and even race fans have placed high on their bucket lists.

“There’s no better place than COTA to bring back the combined event as a single NASA National Championships,” said NASA Texas Regional Director Will Faules “COTA Vice President Eric Paradis has been totally instrumental in not only getting NASA Texas regional events here, but also putting on this huge National Championship. I’m really pleased with how the event turned out, and we’re grateful for everyone at COTA for helping us make it happen.”

The weekend of racing was packed with the kind of competition that only a singular national championships event can bring. Here are the big winners from the 2018 NASA Championships Presented by Toyo Tires.

American Iron

Michael Lapaglia had to wait a few minutes to enjoy his first National Championship until officials sorted out a protest that was ruled in his favor.

The Southern California resident outdueled Michael Patterson and Corey Weber to earn the checkered flag. Lapaglia celebrated with his family who traveled to Austin, Texas to watch him compete.

“Corey and Michael had a tough time keeping their tires hooked up out there, and I tried to focus on that and was able to put down clean laps,” said Lapaglia, who has been racing with NASA for a year. “I just focused on myself and I’m stoked to win a National Championship. It’s unbelievable to say that.”

American Iron Xtreme

Brian Faessler was feeling snakebit Sunday morning when his car broke during a Time Trial session about 40 minutes before the Championship race. His father, Paul, loaned him his Ford Mustang, and the younger Faessler drove it home to a National Championship.

Faessler was going to run in Super Unlimited, but by swapping seats with his dad and running in American Iron Xtreme, he had to start at the back of the group. It didn’t matter as Brian Faessler finished ahead of second-place finisher Robert Shaw for the checkered flag after some very close racing before and after the restart.

“It feels good to finally have some good luck,” said Faessler of Cincinnati, Ohio. “I’ve usually had pretty bad luck here at the Nationals, so it feels good to finally bring a Championship home to Paul’s Automotive Engineering.”

Super Touring 1

In his first time running at the Circuit of The Americas, Mark Burt is going home with more than memories. Burt can call himself a National Champion after winning the Super Touring 1 race.

Burt had a rough Saturday, completing just one lap in the rain-soaked qualifying race as he watched Timothy Bidwill capture pole position. What a difference a day can make with a dry race track.

“The top three or four got bottled up in Turn 1 and a couple of guys got taken out and it was basically given to me at that point,” said Burt, who lives in Orange City, Fla. “I was just trying not to make a mistake. Keep it smooth, keep it going, tires down.”

Super Touring 2

The start made all the difference as Chad Gilsinger brought home his first National Championship as he slipped by Todd Clarke for the victory.

Gilsinger and Clarke were battling all weekend, with Clarke getting the better of Gilsinger in qualifying races heading into Sunday’s final race.

“It really came down to the first turn, honestly. I had a really good start. I knew Todd (Clarke) was a lot quicker than me, so I had to get as big of a gap as I could,” said Gilsinger of Marysville, Ohio. “I was able to get by a lot of the ST1 cars, which he ended up having to battle through a lot, and then with lapped traffic you really just had to be aggressive to get by him or else you get held up too much.”

Super Touring 3

Running just the fifth race of his career, John Hyer went into the Circuit of The Americas hoping to just finish the weekend. He’s going home as a National Champion with a large first-place trophy to prove it.

“I drove 16 hours to get here, we just wanted to do it as a bucket list kind of thing,” he said. “I wanted to gain more experience and compete with the best in the nation.”

Hyer said four or five cars were battling it out for the first couple of laps when he found himself around 15-time NASA Champion David Schotz, who finished in third in the race that was black flagged because of an accident.

Super Touring 4

Setting the fastest lap time in Friday qualifying got Andy Kwitowski a good spot on the grid for the qualifying race, and he managed to take pole for Sunday’s Championship race, too. It’s Sunday that counts and that’s when Kwitowski got the job done in a race shortened by a red flag due to a wreck.

“It just kind of went to plan. Starting P1, I just wanted to create a little gap, so I pushed it a little extra hard on the first two laps, built a gap,” he said. “The front tires were going off a little bit, so it just became a management thing and I just watched the rest of the field and maintained the same gap throughout. Unfortunately, we stopped short again. It’s bad to see another bad wreck like that. We were steady all weekend long. Everything worked out just the way we wanted it to.”

Super Touring 5

Calling it one of the most exciting races in his 19 years of racing, Nik Romano won a thrilling Super Touring 5 race to win his first National Championship.

Romano started on pole, but lost the lead quickly to Charles Buzzetti. Romano was in second-place on the last lap when he did what he called a “Days of Thunder” moment by diving in to get past Buzzetti and holding him off for the last stretch to win the championship.

“Charlie and I were going at it for the entire fricking race,” Romano said. “I was in second on the last lap. I gave it to him earlier, I missed third gear coming out of one of the hairpins and I was about ready to turn the car right and run into the wall and end it right there, I was so pissed off at myself. Just kidding.”

Super Unlimited

When defending Western States National Champion Brian Frisselle started having trouble with his car, it opened the lane for James Devenport to earn his first NASA National Championship.

“Obviously, the defending champ had some issues,” Devenport said. “We’ve never run against (Frisselle) but we wanted to. That thing is a rocket ship. We do it in corners and brakes, they do it on a lot of horsepower. Unfortunately, they broke so we didn’t really get to see how it played out.”

Second-place finisher Jimmy Casey was able to narrow the lead to 1.6 seconds but Devenport was able to hold on.

NASA Prototype

Sunday’s National Championship was three years in the making for Jeremy Croiset, who was consistently the fastest driver all weekend in NPO1.

“I couldn’t be more thrilled with this weekend,” said Croiset, who sat in his car soaking up the victory. “It’s a pretty big personal triumph simply because I’ve been working toward this event for three-plus years and to see it all come together, everybody to have a good time, I can’t say enough about this NASA crew, the staff, all these racers that come here to make this event happen and I’m proud to be part of that.”

A slow start didn’t stop Croiset who won the race by 5.3 seconds over runner-up Sam Mangiamelli.

Camaro-Mustang Challenge

Kevin Jander has been a man on fire in Camaro-Mustang Challenge this weekend at the NASA Championships. After scoring the fastest time in Friday’s first qualifying session and winning Saturday’s qualifying race to nab pole position, Jander still had to prove himself through 45 minutes of hard racing.

“The cautions made things fairly interesting, and with the full-course caution, once we got grouped back up and did the restart, we were right at the back of the Spec E46’s and it was a bit tough navigating the traffic,” Jander said. “It was a good race. There was a little bit of frustration with some of the out-of-class cars, but I managed it and managed to get around them and everything ended up well.”

Spec E30

Rocking the old-school Miller High Life logo on his car and racing suit, Tim Barber was celebrating the good life in Spec E30. Barber continued his strong performance from earlier in the weekend to pull a 5.9-second victory over Sylas Montgomery.

“I hope the wrap on the car and the suit gets a lot of press because it was a big waste of money,” he said with a laugh.

Montgomery pushed Barber most of the race but found himself caught up in lapped traffic. “Sylas kept getting screwed by lapped traffic, to be honest with you,” Barber said. “But that’s racing.”

Spec E46

Jason Fraser had never driven the Circuit of The Americas, but spent plenty of time on a simulator to prepare for the weekend. The homework paid off for Fraser, who took home the National Championship in the deep and competitive Spec E46 group.

Fraser posted his fastest laps of the weekend on Sunday morning before heading into the Championship race. The simulator proved invaluable to learn the turns and the nuances of the 3.4-mile track.

“I’m not a rookie, but I’m newer to the road racing stuff,” Fraser said. “This is the first road racecar I ever built, I ever raced. I came from NASCAR—circle track stuff—so I feel I had that expectation coming in. We had plenty of practice time. The way I look at it, if I can’t figure this place out in three days, I don’t deserve to win.”

Spec Miata Deux

Tim Barber was the only two-time National Champion over the weekend after winning Spec Miata Deux and Spec E30. By winning the second chance race in Spec Miata, Barber took home a $2,000 check courtesy of Toyo Tires.

Barber didn’t make it into Saturday’s 60-car Spec Miata race because his rental car had issues cutting in and out before they corrected the problem. Once the problem was fixed, Barber pretty much led his race from start to finish.

Asked what it was like running two cars in hot and humid conditions in Texas, acknowledged it was tough especially the last race of the weekend.

“I didn’t throw up in my helmet, that’s what I can tell you about that. I kind of wanted to,” Barber said. “It was warm, I started getting a ripping headache half way through that one. I had my hand out the window just trying to cool off.”

Performance Touring D

Racers often talk about the NASA spirit when it comes to sharing parts and racing knowledge. Brett Westcott knows firsthand as a fellow competitor let him use his car, which he powered to a National Championship in Performance Touring D.

“We’ve been trying for five years and we only get it done when my car doesn’t work and a fellow competitor lets me use their car,” Westcott said with a laugh. “It’s that spirit of NASA, right? It’s the racers that will do anything, they’ll give you their extra car, they’ll help you set it up, they’ll throw their own tires on it.”

Westcott, who ran the car for the first time Saturday afternoon, had to adjust from driving a front-wheel-drive car to a rear-wheel-drive racecar.

“The thing is dialed in, it’s a really good car,” Westcott said. “They’re not really that different. Slipping is slipping.”

German Touring Series 2

Kerry James didn’t necessarily have the speed to stay with his fellow competitors, so he considers himself a little lucky to win a National Championship. Late in the race, the three front runners got tangled up in the Esses and spun off track.

That moved James from fourth to first. Doug Young and Will Choice were close behind at the checkers. Waiting to go up on the podium, James said winning a championship was surreal.

“I didn’t quite have the pace of the three in front but I was staying with them and then hoping that something would happen and they would come to me,” James said. “In the end it did.”

German Touring Series 3

Roberto Crescencio had such strong qualifying races that it didn’t seem his car needed any changes going into the German Touring 3 series National Championship.

He kept the setup on the car, but decided to swap his front windshield for a Lexan windshield. The change proved to be the difference as he beat second-place finisher Jeff McGuinness.

“I put it on for today only,” Crescencio said of the windshield. “I guess it’s not a secret anymore.”

Crescencio’s victory on Sunday was redemption for last year at the 2017 Eastern States Championships where he fell short of a championship.

German Touring Series 4

Michael McAleenan’s lead toward the end of the GTS4 race was more than 30 seconds. So, when he saw the red flags come out due to a crash late in the race, he was thinking about the possibility of a green-white-checkers finish that could jeopardize the lead he’d worked so hard to establish. When the black flags came out and he returned to the paddock, he knew his lead — and his win — were safe.

“I was worried we were going to bunch up again and have to restart,” McAleenan said. “Gerald Lowe and the guys at Lowe Group Racing put the car back together. They rebuilt the front end of the car and it was almost perfect, so I’m pretty happy with the result after that. They did a great job and everyone hustled. Our other teammates did well in GTS3, so this session went a lot better for us.”

Honda Challenge 2

Winning his second Championship in a row, Robert Paszkiewicz led from Turn 1 on the first lap until the finish. But his fellow competitors in the 16-car field made him earn the victory.

“This one I had to work for, so I’m really happy,” said Paszkiewicz, who won the 2017 Eastern States Championships. “I couldn’t ask for more. I don’t think I’ve driven this hard in a while now.”

Few drivers had as good a weekend as Rob Krider in his Acura Integra, winning every race he competed in during the weekend. Krider was so dominant, he led every race from flag to flag in the seven-car field.

“We have a sign in our shop that says that champagne is victory at the track but races are won weeks before in the shop,” Krider said. “All we did this week was shine our cars. We just polished them in garage 18, it made all the difference.”

Krider has two Western States Championships but considers Sunday’s victory the top prize.

“That’s junior varsity,” Krider said of his Western States titles. “I wanted to win the Nationals, so I got it done today.”

Spec Z

Tom Kaminski knew he needed to bring his A-game if he had a chance at beating Daniel Williams in the Spec Z National Championship race.

“Dan is an excellent driver. This is the first time I ever raced with him. I just kind of know his pedigree,” said Kaminski, who celebrated his championship after the race. “I kind of knew going in that if I lose focus one or two times, it’s done. I got that in my head at the beginning and was full bore, 100 percent and I just tried to run as aggressive as I could. The car held together so I’m happy.”

Traveling from Utah for the race, Kaminski considers it a victory their trucks and trailers didn’t break down on the trip to Austin.

“I’m just so glad we made it here,” he said. “We all kind of have older trucks, rigs and trailers. I’m so happy my car even made it.”

Thunder Roadster

Thunder Roadsters are the smallest, lightest cars that race in NASA. They’re also among the fastest, but they take a light touch to drive well. Gary Tinker had just the right touch in Sunday’s Championship race. He found his way to the front and held on the for the win.

“I didn’t lead all of it. I got passed quite a few times. They worked me real hard,” he said. “It was back and forth for the first few laps. By lap three, I kind of burned my brakes up, which made me a little bit faster. I was just trying to save the tires and not slide it through the corners, and that eventually paid off for me. That’s why at the end of the race I had cool rear tires and I could just walk away.”

944 Spec

Post-race inspections resulted in a disqualification of Marcelo Vine, who led the entire race. That DQ meant that second-place finisher Charlie Buzzetti was bumped up for the win and the Championship in 944 Spec, a class he’s won twice before.

“It’s my first time here. The track is pretty tough. It takes a bit of time to get comfortable with it,” Buzzetti said. “There are high-speed corners, slow-speed corners, really demanding esses that have a decreasing speed as you get deeper and deeper into them. It’s really difficult to have the car under control in that area, because you want to be as fast as you can, but too fast and you’re going for a big ride.”

Performance Touring E

Chris Kopitski’s luck hasn’t been the best at National Championships in past years. His car always seemed to be plagued by mechanical gremlins at the time when they were most unwelcome. You know, when he’s racing for a Championship. This year was different. Kopitski notched the fastest lap in PTE qualifying on Friday and went on to win the qualifying race on Saturday. That put him on pole position for the race, a position he never relinquished.

“It was unbelievable. I couldn’t have asked for a better start in this perfect race all the way through,” Kopitski said. “I missed a couple of apexes and missed a shift about three quarters of the way through the race. Other than that, it was flawless. This has been a long time coming. I’ve been waiting for this. I’ve been trying so hard to get this Championship. I’ve had mechanical issues every year, but this year I finally pulled it through, and this car is capable of so much more than this. It feels great. I’m on top of the world.”

IRVINE, Calif. (Aug. 14, 2018) -- Since its inception nearly 20 years ago, Mazda’s Spec Miata (SM) has grown to become one of the most popular and competitive classes within the Sports Car Club of America and National Auto Sport Association. The low-cost, high-excitement platform has drawn thousands of racers, and that will continue with today’s announcement that Mazda Motorsports and Penske Racing Shocks have teamed up to produce a new, spec shock package to enhance the SM racing experience in the coming seasons.

Results show the new Penske shocks to be similar in qualifying lap times compared with shocks currently used by the SM field. But on overall pace, particularly starting on the fifth lap, the Penske product showed brilliance. And on 30-minute to hour-long runs, where the current spec’s lap times slowed by three-plus seconds on the high-wear track surface, the Penskes never fell off to even two seconds compared to qualifying lap times. An in-depth look at the test findings is available at the Mazda Motorsports website.

“The Penske Racing Shocks package is a major step forward for Spec Miata, upgrading the cars from an underdamped street shock to an uncompromised race piece intended solely for the track,” Pobst said after testing. “The shocks allowed the tires to maintain more grip because the suspension worked properly, rather than constantly crashing down on the bump rubbers. With every car, driver, tire and track condition, the Penske provided superior control."

Miller and Dean added that the Penske shocks had a ride quality that was very, very good. The damper had great compliance and soaked up exit curbing, and did not skip the car. Tire life had a predictable, linear and subtle fall-off because of good compliance. Tires also had a large window of operation and never gave a knife-edge feeling at stint’s end.

Josh Smith, Mazda Motorsports Technical Specialist, noted that the “street shock” currently used in SM is not entirely ideal for racing. The off-the-shelf shock, while cost-effective, was not initially designed to handle the spring rate on race cars and sometimes has trouble “dampening” movement. This causes the suspension to bottom out, which impacts wear-and-tear on other components of the car, including tires, hubs, bearings and subframes.

“The Spec Miata community will receive tremendous value from the new Penske shock in terms of drivability, consistency, improved areas of compliance, longevity, and great long-term value for the cost,” said David Cook, Business Development Manager for Mazda Motorsports. “This new shock doesn’t raise the performance of any single SM generation car over another. What it does accomplish is to enhance the SM platform as a whole, and bring in a shock partner interested in servicing customers with trackside support and contingency awards.”

According to Aaron Lambert, Penske Racing Shocks Director of Competition, another round of testing and honing of the new shocks will be conducted next month. But ultimately, Penske Racing Shocks will provide an offering that competitors -- novice or pro -- can drive consistently. With the new shock comes a new upper mount that uses a spherical bearing and a new bump stop designed specifically for the application. Issues caused by riding on bump stops will be eliminated, and stress to other parts minimized so a race car’s longevity can be maximized.

The new shock price will be set at $198.74 apiece, with the complete upper mount/bump stop kit retailing at $249.90. Parts will be available exclusively through Mazda Motorsports with a total cost for conversion; including four shocks, top mount, bump stops and lower spherical mounts for less than $1,050. Unlike the current Spec Miata shock, the Penske will be tamper-proof, and rebuildable through Penske at $100/shock. It is recommended that shocks be inspected by Penske after 100 hours of track use to determine whether a rebuild would be valuable.

“Penske Racing Shocks is the world leader in suspension technology and proud to be the majority supplier in F1, NASCAR, IndyCar, IMSA DPi, NHRA Pro Stock, and now Spec Miata,” Lambert said. “With such a rigorous schedule, high volume of competitors and demand for equality, the Spec Miata series is a perfect platform to show off performance, reliability and repeatability, which is why Penske Racing Shocks is honored to be part of this racing class.”

Both NASA and SCCA have approved the new Penske shock for SM competition beginning Jan. 1, 2019. It is anticipated the new shocks will be available starting November 2018 through Mazda Motorsports. The new shocks will not be immediately required for NASA or SCCA competition. Both sanctioning bodies will communicate with competitors at a later date regarding a sunset timeline for the shock package currently in use.

About Mazda Motorsports

Mazda Motorsports boasts the most comprehensive auto racing development ladder system of any auto manufacturer in the world. The Mazda Road to 24 (#MRT24) program offers a number of scholarships to advance drivers up the sports car racing ladder, beginning with the Global MX-5 Cup series and culminating with the Mazda Prototype team. The Mazda Road to Indy (#MRTI) is a similar program that includes Mazda-powered categories of USF2000, Pro Mazda and Indy Lights. In grassroots road racing, more Mazdas race on any given weekend in North America than any other manufacturer. Follow all of the latest news at MazdaMotorsports.com, @MazdaRacing on Twitter, and MazdaMotorsports on Instagram and Facebook.

About Penske Racing Shocks

Penske Racing Shocks is the world leader in suspension technology. Penske Racing Shocks strives to supply the latest technology to all forms of auto racing, and is the major supplier in the world’s largest markets. From asphalt road racing at its highest levels in F1, NASCAR or IndyCar; to dirt tracks across the USA, Penske Racing Shocks is the industry leading manufacturer. More champions choose Penske Racing Shocks over any other brand. The engineering staff and industry leading technical support of Penske Racing Shocks has led to numerous championships in all forms of motorsports.

About NASA

NASA was founded in 1991 on the premise of providing motorsport competition programs that allow owners of both racecars and high-performance street-driven vehicles to enjoy the full-performance capabilities of their cars in a safe and controlled environment.

About SCCA

The Sports Car Club of America®, Inc., founded in 1944, is a 67,500-member motorsports organization that incorporates all facets of autocross, rally and road racing at both Club and professional levels. With headquarters in Topeka, Kansas, the SCCA annually sanctions over 2,000 events through its 116 Regions and subsidiary divisions. Much of the SCCA's activities are made possible with support from the following Official Partners: Chevrolet, the Official Truck of the SCCA; Hawk Performance, the Official Brake Products of SCCA; Mobil 1, the Official Oil of SCCA; Sunoco, the Official Fuel of SCCA; and Tire Rack, the Official Tire Retailer of SCCA. To learn more, please visit www.scca.com.

Promoting from within, the National Auto Sport Association has appointed Brett Becker as its new communication director. In addition to his role as the editor of Speed News, the official publication of NASA, Becker will operate in a multifaceted role, from planning communication strategies that accompany NASA initiatives to assisting management in marketing events. He will also serve as the media contact and spearhead the company’s efforts to publicize and garner media coverage for its events, drivers and series.

“It made perfect sense for us to expand Brett Becker’s role with NASA,” said NASA Vice President Jeremy Croiset. “He joined NASA as a member in 2007, and came up through our HPDE program and races a Spec Miata in our Southern California Region, where he is the series leader. He knows our programs and our people, and we’re glad to have his as part of our NASA family to see him grow in his role within NASA.”

Becker took over as editor of Speed News shortly after it launched in 2012. He developed the magazine’s editorial content to include in-depth profiles of NASA drivers and classes, hands-on tech stories and driving instruction. He also expanded and improved coverage of NASA’s signature events, such as the NASA Championships and the 25 Hours of Thunderhill.

“This new position is a great way to further two of my passions: motorsports, and clean, lively copy,” Becker said. “To represent NASA and its members, and to act as its liaison to the media is a great honor, and I’m proud to be part of the NASA team.”

April 2, 2018, Napa Valley, Calif. — The National Auto Sport Association (NASA) is pleased to announce that registration for the 2018 NASA Championships presented by Toyo Tires will open April 6, 2018 at 9 a.m. PST. The NASA Championships move this year to the world-famous Circuit of the Americas in Austin, Texas. The four-day event will take place September 13-16, 2018.

This world-class facility, home to the United States Grand Prix, and some would say the pinnacle of motorsports in the world, also will be where we find out just who are the fastest drivers in the country! This top-level event will feature the inaugural Toyo Tires Classic for Spec Miata competitors, along with 28 classes of wheel-to-wheel competition joined by nine classes of Time Trial competition.

Registration for the 2018 NASA Championships presented by Toyo Tires will be strictly based on a first-registered, first-entered basis because space for what is sure to be the biggest amateur motorsports event in 2018 is limited.

In addition, NASA once again will make an early-entry reservation option available later this month to anyone who wants to take advantage of the lowest entry prices available for the year. Be sure to log in to nasachampionships.com on April 6, 2018 at 9 a.m. PST to secure your spot.

NASA is pleased to announce that Toyo Tires® will continue as the Official Tire of The National Auto Sport Association in 2018. This represents the 16th
year that NASA and Toyo Tires have been committed to expanding the
sport of amateur road racing throughout the US. As part of that
long-standing partnership program, NASA is excited to announce the
official 2018 Toyo Tires Contingency Support Program.

A few seasons ago, we were privileged to announce a newly revamped
spec tire program that dramatically increased awards for competitors.
New for 2018, Toyo Tires has done it again with their open tire class
contingency offerings. Racing, Enduro and Time Trials are again included
in the industry-leading program and your chance at winning “Toyo Bucks”
for the 2018 race season has never been better.

American Iron, Spec Iron, Spec Z, and CMC classes will be eligible
for over $5,000 in awards per weekend. Participants in the NASA
Prototype NP01, Spec E46 and Factory Five classes will be eligible for
up to $4,000 per weekend while the classes of Spec Miata, Spec E30,
Honda Challenge, and 944 Spec will be eligible for up to $2,000 in
awards per weekend. The open tire portion of the Toyo Tires contingency
program has also been revamped, offering competitors the chance to grab
up to $1,800 in Toyo bucks per weekend.

“Giving back to the racing community and offering best-in-class
products is part of our long-standing tradition at Toyo Tires,” said
Marc Sanzenbacher, senior manager of motorsports, Toyo Tire U.S.A. Corp.
“We want NASA competitors to know that we stand with them as they go
for the win and hope this bigger contingency program provides the
additional support they might need to go for that championship.”

“We always strive to secure the best programs in the industry for
NASA competitors and having Toyo Tires with their commitment to the
amateur racing community makes it much easier,” said Jeremy Croiset,
Vice President, NASA. “This new 2018 program rewards competitors with
large contingency awards while providing tremendous support throughout
the race season. This, plus the newly announced Toyo Tires Classic to
take place during the NASA Championships, makes it an outstanding year
to be a Toyo driver! We couldn’t be more thrilled to continue this
relationship with Toyo Tires as the Official Tire of NASA.”

As announced earlier, Toyo Tires will offer the most lucrative NASA
Championships prize package to date with nearly $275,000 in cash awards
and almost $50,000 in product support to competitors during the NASA
Championships at Circuit of The Americas in Austin, TX in October. Toyo
Tires is also offering the largest single payout in the history of
amateur road racing during the inaugural Toyo Tires Classic. This unique
race will award the overall winner with a cash payout of up to $80,000
and over $130,000 in total cash awards to the Spec Miata competitors
during this historic event. All told, Toyo Tires is making well over
$1,000,000 in awards available to NASA competitors during the 2018
racing season!

The National Auto Sport Association was formed in 1991 with the
premise of delivering high-quality motorsports events to enthusiasts at
major racing venues throughout the United States. NASA has created
programs that allow owners of racecars and high-performance
street-driven vehicles to enjoy the full performance capabilities of
their cars in a controlled professionally managed environment. NASA
offers many different programs that will allow you to enjoy motorsports
on a number of different levels, including our High-Performance Driving
Events (HPDE), Rally Sport, Time Trial, NASA-X and Competition Racing
programs.

Established in 1966, Toyo Tire U.S.A. Corp. represents the
innovation, quality, performance, and excellent service that Toyo Tires
has delivered worldwide for 70 years. The company offers a full line of
premium tires for nearly every vehicle including light trucks, SUVs,
crossovers, sports cars, luxury cars and hybrids as well as commercial
trucks. Many of the tires are built in the United States at their
state-of-the-art factory in White, Georgia. To find the right tire for
your vehicle as well as an authorized dealer, visit www.toyotires.com. Join the Toyo Tires community on: Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and YouTube.

Giving young drivers a helping hand is what the Teen Mazda Challenge (TMC) has always been about, and the National Auto Sport Association (NASA) is excited to announce it is expanding the TMC program nationally. The new TMC will add value and help drivers up to age 20 climb the ladder to success in racing and help them develop skills they need in their careers. The program also will deliver a suite of contingency prizes to help make racing more affordable. For the 2018 season, NASA and a few select sponsors will offer the following benefits for the TMC:

Mazda Motorsports

Mazda Motorsports will make each regional TMC champion eligible for nomination to the Mazda Road to 24 Shootout, which typically is held each November or December. The grand prize is a scholarship valued at $100,000 applicable to a season of racing in the Battery Tender Global Mazda MX-5 Cup presented by BFGoodrich Tires. The nominations will be based on regional points standings at the end of September. What’s more, each TMC regional champion will earn the opportunity to win a $500 cash award from Mazda.

NASA Driver Advancement Scholarship

NASA will award each TMC regional champion complimentary entry fees for the 2019 Spec Miata racing season. This applies to any NASA region where there are TMC competitors. The significance of this benefit is that even if a competitor doesn’t win the Mazda Road to 24 Shootout, he or she can return to competition in the Teen Mazda Challenge the following season to further develop his or her skills and get another opportunity to advance to the Shootout. These scholarships will be tallied after each NASA region has completed its full season of racing.

Toyo Tires Ron Cortez Memorial Award

In honor of TMC founder Ron Cortez, who passed away in January 2018, TMC regional competitors finishing in the three podium positions in their regions will be eligible for $1,000, $500, $300 in direct cash benefits to assist them with racing in the NASA Championships. This will be open to all TMC competitors in all regions who run the five required races that make them eligible to race in the Championships.

These positions will be tallied according to regional points standings July 1, which will give drivers a chance to prepare for the Championships September 13-16 at Circuit of the Americas in Austin, Texas.

In addition, the top finishing TMC competitor at the 2018 NASA Championships will be awarded $2,500 regardless of overall finishing position.

Hawk Performance Benefits

The top five finishing TMC competitors at the NASA Championships will be eligible for $400 in product certificates that will assist them in purchasing brake pads for the season.

“The strength of this new program is to give young drivers coming out of the karting world a clearer path to racing in Spec Miata and, ultimately, a career in professional racing,” said NASA Director of Business Development Jeremy Croiset. “The skills they develop racing with NASA in the Teen Mazda Challenge will be invaluable to them as they advance their racing careers, and by expanding the Teen Mazda Challenge to all NASA regions nationwide, more young drivers will be able to climb the motorsports ladder.”

The National Auto Sport Association is pleased to announce the promotion of Jeremy Croiset to the position of vice president.

Formerly the director of business development, Croiset has worked for
NASA since 2005. The new promotion marks an important milestone in
NASA’s history and in Croiset’s motorsports career. Croiset’s duties now
include strategic planning and managing daily operations of the
company.

“Everything I’ve accomplished in motorsports has led me to this
moment,” Croiset said. “NASA gave me the opportunity to join the company
more than a decade ago and it’s been an amazing journey. I love working
everyday to bring new programs and ideas to fruition that NASA members
can take advantage of on and off the track. My new role will provide me
an even broader opportunity to continue that mission. NASA is a
fantastic company and the product we put on track is second to none. I’m
grateful for the opportunity, and looking forward to growing the
organization even more.”

Croiset was instrumental in the development of the NASA Prototype
Élan NP01, and the class in which it runs. Croiset also has played a
major role in developing the NASA Championships, and creating prize
packages and contingency awards that went into this year’s Toyo Tires
Classic, the largest purse in amateur motorsports history. The Toyo
Tires Classic will take place at this year’s NASA Championships at
Circuit of the Americas in Austin, Texas.

“Jeremy is now positioned to bring great things to NASA in the coming
years,” said NASA National Chairman Ryan Flaherty. “He’s dedicated
himself to NASA for years and he knows our program better than anyone.
He tackles problems head-on and has the creativity that make him a great
fit for the role of vice president. I look forward to working with him
in his new executive role.”

The National Auto Sport Association (NASA) is pleased to announce the continuation of the 2018 Hawk Performance Contingency Program. As the Official Brake Product of NASA, competitors finishing 1st through 5th are eligible for Hawk Bucks’ and up to $400 per class will be available every race weekend to competitors.

“Hawk Performance is thrilled to partner with NASA once again and support the great racers all across the country,” said Hawk Performance Marketing Manager Lindsey Nikolai. “We continue to take pride in aligning ourselves with one of the best racing organizations in the US and are looking forward to another fun and exciting season. Good luck to all of the racers!”

“We’re excited to continue our partnership with Hawk Performance in 2018,” said Jeremy Croiset, NASA Vice President. “Hawk Performance support of NASA competitors is stronger than ever in 2018 and we look forward to announcing some new programs with them later this season that NASA participants will benefit greatly from.”

Competitors are eligible to win up to $100 per weekend toward the purchase of Hawk Performance products that can also be combined toward higher value purchases. This unique and very easy participate in program is available to all NASA competitors beginning immediately. For complete details on the 2018 Hawk Performance contingency program, please visit our new contingency portal at: prizes.drivenasa.com

NASA is pleased to announce the launch of the newly created Contingency Portal. This new system has been designed specifically to make the process of contingency redemption easier for NASA competitors. This new website allows members quick and easy access to essential information with features that offer a more streamlined process to claim contingencies. The updated look with improved functionality includes easier navigation and secure electronic forms that will be used to submit contingency claims. New and existing programs will be located in one central location and members will find that the easy to navigate design and responsive mobile interface will showcase the large amount of support to the amateur racing community from aftermarket companies and manufacturers.

“We are excited to launch our new contingency portal as we continue to update it with new programs for 2018”, said Jeremy Croiset, Vice President of NASA. “Our dedicated team of professionals are always working to provide NASA members with an experience second to none in motorsports and we believe that harnessing the power of today’s technologies will do just that. The ease of use this new system provides to all of our NASA members is right in line with that goal and we couldn’t be more thrilled to present it to the NASA Community. We want our members to be able to find and submit all the information they need in one place, while significantly reducing the amount of time it takes to claim a contingency prize and that’s what this new system provides.”

The new website will be located at prizes.drivenasa.com and will be updated with new programs throughout the 2018 Racing Season. Members are encouraged to explore the new site and reach out to us with any questions or feedback.

The National Auto Sport Association (NASA) is proud to announce the continued support of Winding Road Racing for 2018 as the Official Motorsports Equipment Supplier of NASA. As a leader in motorsports equipment supplies with three retail locations including their main headquarters in Austin, TX, NASA members are able to take advantage of their extensive knowledge and experience with a massive selection of motorsports gear and equipment offerings. Through this partnership, NASA members are also eligible to access an exclusive Members-only loyalty program providing special discounts and lucrative savings, in addition to a Contingency program unique to the industry which helps NASA participants save even bigger!

“We’re excited and proud to continue our partnership with NASA for 2018,” said Thomas B. Martin II, owner and President of Winding Road Racing. “The partnership has enabled us to continue to connect with the racing community and support the achievements of NASA club racers. We’re able to do this via our online store, at national and regional track events, and our retail locations in California, Kentucky, and Texas.”

“Through our partnership with NASA, we have been given the opportunity to support amateur racers with our member benefits program and contingency sponsorships,” said Shawn Stout, Winding Road Racing’s Retail Product Director. “We are very excited to continue our partnership and help foster that community growth.”

“We’re privileged to be able to welcome back Winding Road Racing for the 2018 season”, said Jeremy Croiset, Vice President of NASA. “They have quickly established themselves as the leader in safety equipment supplies with top level customer service and knowledge that I know each NASA member can benefit from. With unique programs benefiting all NASA participants and periodic exclusive offers, we’ve found ourselves a great partner in Winding Road Racing that will go the extra mile to make every NASA members journey into motorsports just that much easier.”

Along with the racer support programs offered to NASA members, Winding Road Racing also operates the Spec MX-5 Challenge Series – Central hosted by NASA. Winding Road Racing also builds race cars at their Austin, TX, and Sonoma, CA shops. From building race cars, nationwide arrive and drive programs, and being racers themselves, Winding Road Racing staff have the expertise and first-hand experience to assist NASA customers with what they need.

Competitors who register with Winding Road Racing are eligible to win up to $100 per weekend toward the purchase of motorsport gear and equipment. NASA members can also enjoy a loyalty discount on eligible gear. The program is available to all NASA competitors beginning immediately. For complete details on the 2018 Winding Road Racing contingency program, please visit: prizes.drivenasa.com.

About Winding Road Racing

Winding Road Racing is a leading provider of road racing equipment and services. With locations in Austin, Los Angeles, and NCM Motorsports Park, and online at windingroadracing.com, the company offers a full line of safety and performance equipment from leading manufacturers like Stilo, AiM, Sparco, Bell, Schroth, and Motorola. From shops in Austin and Sonoma, the company runs teams in Pirelli World Challenge as well as building cars and providing full service for NASA. Winding Road Racing and ATL Speedwerks recently co-launched the Spec MX-5 Challenge Series, a new pro sports car racing option sponsored by Yokohama and Mazda.

NAPA VALLEY, CA (Feb 7, 2018) – NASA is pleased to announce that beginning with the 2018 racing season, Shawn Meze will assume the position of Technical Director of Racing. Shawn will be responsible for interacting with all NASA series leadership, assisting in cultivating grown, in addition to continuing his role as National Series Director for our very popular Spec E30 series. Shawn will also assist with the oversight and management of NASA’s growing top-level series, NASA Prototype which features the world’s first affordable to operate prototype race vehicle, the NASA Prototype Elan NP01.

Shawn joined NASA in 2005 where he won his first regional Championship moving then toward focusing his sights the following year on his first National Championship where he would come out with 2 podium finishes. In 2010, he took on his first leadership role with NASA as National Super Touring Series Director before eventually moving into the world of Spec E30. Choosing to focus on Spec E30 instead, he assumed the role as SoCal Spec E30 series leader which eventually transitioned into the National Series Director for Spec E30 in 2015.

“I couldn’t be more thrilled with this new opportunity,” said Shawn Meze, NASA Technical Director of Racing. “I’ve raced with NASA for a long time and feel very honored to now work for this fantastic company. I’m really looking forward to working alongside the strong series leadership NASA already enjoys to continue growing this great sport we all love”.

“We’re really pleased to have Shawn on board with us,” said Jeremy Croiset, NASA Director of Business Development. “He’s a long time member of NASA, a respected member of our community, and a real team player. He should make a valuable addition to our growing team”.

Indianapolis, IN – Dec 8, 2017 – The National Auto Sport Association (NASA) is excited to announce that the inaugural Toyo Tires Classic will take place during the 2018 NASA Championships presented by Toyo Tires to be held during the Circuit of the Americas, Sept 13-16, 2018. This newly created event will include Spec Miata competition during the championships and will provide competitors with the largest purse ever in modern amateur competition history.

This unique race will award the overall winner at the event with a cash payout of up to $80,000! More than $131,000 in cash awards will be made available to Spec Miata racers taking part in the competition with two different random cash awards totaling $5000. A hard charger award will land a $10,000 pay day for a lucky driver, while many more unique incentives will be announced! Qualifying requirements to enter the Toyo Tires Classic will be very straight forward and follow our typical NASA Championship qualification format.

“This will be the richest purse in Spec Miata competition”, said Marc Sanzenbacher, Toyo Tires, Senior Manager of Motorsports. “Our goal was to put together a program that would bring Spec Miata competitors together in a way that has never been accomplished before. Our hope is that this new program will provide Spec Miata competitors with an annual pilgrimage that combines the camaraderie and festivities that NASA events are known for -- combined with a financial benefit that has never been seen in the community. We look forward to the tremendous competition we expect to see at this event.”

“We’re really excited to announce this new program with our long-time partner Toyo Tires”, said Jeremy Croiset, NASA Director of Business Development. “This new program demonstrates a level of commitment to the amateur racing community that is nearly unprecedented. We fully expect this to be the largest Spec Miata competition in history at one of the best tracks in the country and we’re just getting started. Folks can expect much more info on this program in the coming weeks as we announce further details.”

Willows, Calif., Dec. 3, 2017 - The Toyo Tires/Flying Lizard Motorsports team took its third consecutive overall win in the NASA 25 Hours of Thunderhill presented by Hawk Performance on Sunday, marking only the second time in the endurance race’s 15-year history that a team has won three overalls in a row.

The Audi R8LMS took the overall lead just after sunrise Sunday and never looked back as the team’s main competition, a pair of Ginetta G57 prototypes, dropped out late in the endurance race because of mechanical issues.

“It’s still fun to win them,” said driver Darren Law, who has helped drive the team to victory the past three years. “We literally didn’t touch any other car. There’s not a mark on it and we didn’t have anything go wrong. It was perfect.”

Toyo Tires/Flying Lizard Motorsports is only the second team to have three consecutive overall wins at the 25 Hours of Thunderhill since the race began in 2002. Team Mercer Motorsports won overall in 2009, 2010 and 2011.

The Toyo Tires team did have a brief scare with 90 minutes left in the race when driver Nathan Stacy went into the dirt in Turn 3 and for a moment it didn’t look like Stacy would be able to restart the Audi. Stacy got the car started and the team won by six laps over second-place overall finisher Calvert Dynamics/Competition Motorsports. Third-place overall finisher was Crowd Strike/One Motorsports.

By the time race ended Sunday, Toyo Tires/Flying Lizard Motorsports drivers Darren Law, Nate Stacy, Charlie Hayes and Tom Haacker had put in 2,200 miles — nearly the equivalent of driving from coast-to-coast across the United States in 25 hours.

More than 50 teams participated in the famed endurance race that tested drivers’ resolve against machine and fatigue. Much of the race is run in darkness, further challenging the field of amateur and professional drivers.

In additional to the overall champion, there were seven class winners crowned Sunday.

E0Despite having just one gear (fourth) for 12 hours of the endurance race, RK Motorsports/TC Design brought home the class championship in a 19-car-deep and competitive E0 class.

RK Motorsports/TC Design’s Tony Colicchio was wondering if the string of bad luck at NASA’s 25 Hours of Thunderhill would continue. He’s competed in six Thunderhill races and has crewed nearly every race since its start 15 years ago.

“I’ve had some really bad luck here, especially given all my sprint races,” Colicchio said. “I’ve actually qualified a car three times and not been able to start because the car has had some sort of problem. Winning it is pretty awesome.”

E1What a difference a year makes for the Trim-Tex Racing team. Last year, the team had transmission issues and just missed winning the class.

“We were having transmission issues in 2016 and the same curse hit us again, but thankfully we were able to salvage it,” said driver Britt Casey Jr. “We only lost one gear this time, and last year we lost every gear but one.”

Just two laps separated Trim-Tex Racing and second-place class finisher Team MooreWood Racing.

E2KD Motorsports captured back-to-back 25 Hours of Thunderhill victories in E2 as the team dealt with a host of issues with the racecar.

The team was dealing with issues on the 1989 BMW 325is, from brakes to the transmission.

“We lost every gear but fourth,” said team owner Kevin Doyle. “We had oil pressure issues. We were down to our backing plates on the rear brakes, so it was metal on metal on the back. We were getting everything we could.”

The team turned its fastest lap of 2:06.045 during the middle of the night, which crew chief David Stenner credits his drivers.

“How we won the race was down to incredibly fast laps at night,” said Stenner, who beat second-place finisher RDR by five laps.

E3Team RAmotorsports40 had a Mazda Miata stuck in fourth gear, but the drivers made the most of it to get the E3 class win at 25 Hours of Thunderhill. Even with the transmission problem, the trio of drivers were able to beat second-place finisher CorkSport Performance by 22 laps.

“Likely something is going to break on the car before the end of the race,” said driver David Biggar. “It’s just how you manage it and then how you get through the rest of the race with that, and I think we did a great job.”

ESToyo Tires/Flying Lizard Motorsports’ strong performance left the rest of the teams in ES class chasing the Audi R8 LMS and second place. Calvert Dynamics with its Porsche GT3

took home second and Prototype Development Group was third.

ESRCrowd Strike/One Motorsports won its first 25 Hours of Thunderhill, but it didn’t come without complications.

A problem with the alternator required creative solutions to keep the open-cockpit car running. The team had to shut down fuel pumps, reduce headlight output and even turn off the steering wheel heater despite racing in temperatures that dipped in the low 40 degrees.

“It was five hours of absolute thrashing,” said driver Kenton Koch. “We had a couple issues with the alternator and keeping things charged, so we had half the lights shut off all night and we could hardly see straight. The only thing we had were the lights that point out so I could see the marks.

A pair of Ginetta G57 cars that were favorites to win the overall race and class had mechanical issues and dropped out late in the race. Norma’s Last Chance finished in second, two laps behind Crowd Strike/One Motorsports.

GT ChallengeThe lone car in the class, Toyo Tires/Flying Lizard Motorsports team had a water-line failure, but got it fixed and was able to get the car out in time to grab the checkered flag. The Porsche Cayman ended up 24th overall.

“It was obviously a little disappointing the other teams dropped out, and I do believe that next year is going to be a pretty big group, because obviously anything Toyo does, they do it right,” said team manager Thomas Blam. “So, we were happy to run the tires. We had a phenomenal run for the first 20 hours, and at one point we were sixth overall, which I think is pretty remarkable for a DOT tire. We’re hoping to be back next year and hoping to bring a couple of more cars with us.”

NAPA, CA., November 28, 2017 - Pacers, fans and family – this year we will have ample amount of options available to you in order to follow all the action LIVE from the 2017 NASA 25 Hours of Thunderhill Presented by HAWK Performance. Live video broadcast made possible thanks to Toyo Tires. For the first time this year, we will have trackside cameras and LIVE video interviews from the hot pits so you can follow all the action as it unfolds in real time. Make sure to Like Us on Facebook and Follow Us on Instagram and Twitter. Check all the links to Live Video, Live Timing and Social Media below.

When making social media posts, make sure to use the following hashtags #nasa25hour, #drivenasa, #hawkperformance, and #toyotires.

The 15th running of the NASA 25 Hours of Thunderhill presented by Hawk Performance is attracting past winners and teams who are still looking for their first class win. The twice-around-the-clock plus one-hour race is set to run Dec. 2-3, 2017.

E1

Peter Hopelain with Team Technik/AGM Racing is still chasing a class win at Thunderhill, and the team has come close in years past. Team Technik lost an engine in the middle of the night while enjoying a two-lap lead in 2014, then scored a third-place finish in 2015. The team sat out the 2016 event and has spent the majority of 2017 prepping their BMW E46 chassis and crew for competition in the E1 class.

“We have spent the last six months developing the car and developing the team,” Hopelain said. “The specifics of what we’ve been working on is that there is not much left we can do, per the rules, to speed up our pit stops. It’s become a real distance-traveled-over-time type of race, and a matter of survival. So, we’ve changed around a lot of the setup over the last few years to get the car to run more efficiently, and at the pace of the leaders. So, we’re able to get two hours of driving time on 15 gallons of fuel.”

Hopelain will start the race as the first driver, but will act as crew chief for the remainder of the event. Other drivers include 25 Hour veteran Shawn Sampson, owner of Sampson Racing Communications, Robert Dietz who just won the PTE Championship at Thunderhill in October, and Patrick Avakian.

E2

The E2 class wins in the last two 25 Hours of Thunderhill presented by Hawk Performance have gone to the Robert Davis Racing team driving “Kermit,” a green and silver Mazda RX-8. That car has since been retired and the team has a new Mazda RX-8 to compete in this year’s event. It will be the only rotary-engine-powered entry on grid.

Team driver Jeremy Barnes said the team has taken everything it learned from racing “Kermit” over the years and poured all that knowledge and experience into the new car, which the team has been quietly developing this year.

Although rotary engines make prodigious power relative to their displacement, their fuel economy presents some challenges in endurance racing, and with a stock fuel tank that holds 16.9 gallons, the team has to stop every hour to refuel. Barnes said the team incorporates fuel consumption into its strategy.

“We know we’re a lot more fuel thirsty than any of the cars that we run against, so it’s making sure that the rest of the package is so good that we don’t have a reason to stop other than putting fuel in the car and doing driver changes and tire changes,” Barnes said. “So, if we can stay out of the pits and stay on track as much as possible, and just take care as much as we can the weaker points of the car, then we think we’re going to be in a good place, and we certainly proved that the last few years with Kermit. I think we’ve made a car that everyone said couldn’t be competitive and couldn’t be reliable both competitive and reliable.”

Team RA Motorsports owner Ron Gayman has two wins in the E3 class, in 2015 and 2016, and he’s bringing the same two Mazda Miatas again this year, plus another to compete in the E1 class. The E1 Miata is powered by a General Motors 2.4-liter EcoTec engine, which is roughly 30 percent more powerful than a stock Mazda 1.8-liter. It also will be a little faster thanks to suspension, tire and aerodynamic upgrades.

“This year, we hope to gain a few seconds in lap pace, and be more competitive,” he said. “We were not competitive in lap times last year. The fastest in the class were running 1:59s and we barely did a 2:03.”

Gayman notes that luck plays a role in the 25 Hours of Thunderhill presented by Hawk Performance, and that he’ll take it when he can get it, but there’s much more to winning than good fortune.

“People say it’s all about luck. Well, luck is in the preparation,” he said. “The simple thing is I put new parts on the car that we consider wear items or break items. We put new hubs, fresh brakes and rotors and a fresh motor, typically.

“Last year, we got lucky,” he continued. “We were the only one that didn’t break. We would have had a one-two finish if our other car hadn’t broken.”

The new GT Challenge class is the first spec tire program in the 15-year history of the 25 Hours, the longest endurance race in North America. The Toyo Proxes RR delivers teams impressive performance throughout the life of the tire plus longevity, a combination racers know is difficult to achieve. In addition, the class is supported by a lucrative contingency program where the winning team of this class will receive a $5,000 cash reward from Toyo Tires, the official tire of NASA. Details are available at https://www.nasaproracing.com/contingencies.

The inaugural running of the new GT Challenge class will pit evenly-matched race-ready Porsches against one-another creating a ‘race within a race.’ The 2017 race will set the stage for the 2018 NASA 25 Hours when NASA plans to expand the class to include many other manufacturers.

“With the growing popularity of manufacturer supported GT racing in the United States, we wanted to work with our great partners at Toyo Tires to create something new in the endurance racing world that those racers could take advantage of,” said Jeremy Croiset, NASA Director of Business Development. “Spec class racing is seeing significant growth and we wanted to provide a competitive home for these fantastic race cars in what has become the country’s preeminent Pro-Am endurance race.”

“We couldn’t be more excited about the Toyo Tires GT Challenge being added for the 2017 running of the 25 Hours of Thunderhill,” said Marc Sanzenbacher, senior manager, motorsports, Toyo Tire U.S.A. Corp. “The race-proven Proxes RR will provide competitors with fast, consistent laps times throughout this grueling 25 Hours event, while maintaining the even level of competition that only a spec class can enjoy. We look forward to seeing some of the closest racing the event has seen in recent years and eagerly await the future growth and excitement this class will provide.”

Established in 1966, Toyo Tire U.S.A. Corp. represents the innovation, quality, performance, and excellent service that Toyo Tires has delivered worldwide for 70 years. The company offers a full line of premium tires for nearly every vehicle including light trucks, SUVs, crossovers, sports cars, luxury cars and hybrids as well as commercial trucks. Many of the tires are built in the United States at their state-of-the-art factory in White, Georgia. To find the right tire for your vehicle as well as an authorized dealer, visit www.toyotires.com. Join the Toyo Tires community on: Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and YouTube.

The Mazda Road to 24 Shootout selects the very best amateur drivers who race a Mazda or Mazda-powered vehicles. The Shootout also pulls in virtual racers from the world of iRacing, competitors from the NASA Teen Mazda Challenge, the Skip Barber Series and the Formula Car National Challenge.

This year, 13 of the 19 eligible drivers selected are NASA racers. In 2014, five of the eight finalists were NASA racers, and in 2015, 15 of 23 semifinalists came from NASA. What’s even more telling, five of the last seven winners of the Shootout have come from NASA.

“NASA racers make up 68 percent of the field of eligible drivers for this year’s Mazda Road to 24 Shootout. That’s an incredible figure,” said NASA director of business development Jeremy Croiset. “It’s a testament to the level of competition in NASA, and the caliber of our drivers. We’re really proud of our guys, and we wish them the best in the Shootout.”

The drivers are competing for the Shootout’s $100,000 scholarship, which they will use to support a season of professional racing in the 2018 Battery Tender MX-5 Cup presented by BFGoodrich Tires. It’s the largest prize in amateur motorsports and a high-water mark for drivers selected to take part.

“The criteria for the Shootout have been created to identify the aspiring professional racer who has the most complete set of skills required to succeed in motorsport,” said David Cook, business development manager for Mazda Motorsports. “These skills include speed, consistency, race craft, technical understanding, and off-track business and PR skills. History has shown that a driver will be limited in success if he or she is lacking in multiple areas. It will be a big challenge for the judges to narrow these 19 racers to our finalists. It will be an even larger task to select a $100,000 winner.”

Now in its 12th year, the Shootout is the best way for an amateur to climb the ladder into pro racing, though it certainly isn’t the easiest. To be considered, you have to win a Championships event in a Mazda or Mazda-powered car or racing online. Mazda also awards “at-large” spots to worthy candidates.

The Shootout takes place Dec. 8, 2017, at Bondurant Racing School in Chandler, Ariz.

CYPRESS, CA, November 6, 2017 – Toyo Tires® continues its support of amateur road racing with VIP track services and an on-site hospitality area at the 25-Hours of Thunderhill™, the longest endurance road race in North America. This year’s race will take place December 1-3 at Thunderhill Raceway Park in the rolling Northern California foothills. Competitors using Toyo® Proxes® tires will enjoy access to the Toyo Tires hospitality area including meals on Friday (lunch and dinner), Saturday (breakfast, lunch, dinner and a midnight snack), and Sunday (breakfast and lunch).

Registered participants will also receive free mounting and balancing services from Thunderhill AIM Tire on all preorders and via trackside service at Thunderhill Raceway Park from December 1-3. The program applies to racers using the Toyo Proxes® RS1™ full-slick, the Proxes® RR DOT competition, the Proxes® R888™ and the new Proxes® R888R™ tires in dry conditions; while the Proxes® R1R™ and Proxes® RA1™ are approved for wet use.

“We are thrilled to have the continued support of Toyo Tires at what has quickly become the premier pro-am endurance race in North America," said Jeremy Croiset, NASA Director of Business Development. "NASA competitors at the 25 thoroughly enjoy this VIP program Toyo Tires makes available for their customers as it makes a number of logistical aspects of the event much easier to manage for them."

This is the 15th year Toyo Tires has been the Official Tire of NASA and the sixth year the company has provided VIP track services to support racers in the 25-Hours of Thunderhill.

“To survive the 25, you need the right tires and the right support,” said Marc Sanzenbacher, senior manager, motorsports, Toyo Tire U.S.A. Corp. “Our race-proven Toyo Proxes tires deliver the on-track performance and long treadlife teams need to make it through the weekend. We also offer unparalleled on-site hospitality and round-the-clock trackside assistance.”

Established in 1966, Toyo Tire U.S.A. Corp. represents the innovation, quality, performance, and excellent service that Toyo Tires has delivered worldwide for 70 years. The company offers a full line of premium tires for nearly every vehicle including light trucks, SUVs, crossovers, sports cars, luxury cars and hybrids as well as commercial trucks. Many of the tires are built in the United States at their state-of-the-art factory in White, Georgia. To find the right tire for your vehicle as well as an authorized dealer, visit www.toyotires.com. Be sure to join the Toyo Tires community on: Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and YouTube.

Sebring, Fla., October 27, 2017 —Drivers battled the elements and each other on Sunday’s final day of the NASA Eastern States Championships, which were held at Sebring International Raceway. Sunday’s championship day was the culmination of the three-day event, which drew more than 200 competitors from 10 of NASA’s 15 regions.

Drivers had to fight the heat during the day and the rain that fell when the final group of the day was on the track, which led to a brief stoppage and some interesting track conditions.

Spec Miata

Mike Ross

Jim Drago started on the pole, but was involved in a first-lap incident, which led to a duel between Selin Rollan and Michael Ross. Rollan led nearly the entire race, but Ross was able to win a drag race down the front stretch to claim the championship by .052 seconds.

“It looked like his (Rollan) car was starting to go a little more than mine toward the end of the race, so I was hunting and pecking for a place to pass,” Ross said. “Turn 17 looked like my only spot. He’s too good of a driver. I got him down on the front straight the last time and made the pass there, but I thought 17 was going to be it.”

Ross said winning the Eastern States Championship was huge.

“I teared up a little on the front straight coming back around on the cool-down lap,” he said. “It really couldn’t sink in. I really didn’t think I was going to get there this weekend. I haven’t driven much this year and I’m the kind of guy who needs to be in the car a lot, but maybe that’s not my mentality anymore.”

American Iron

Bruce Byerly

Bryce Byerly led a Florida podium sweep, capturing the American Iron title by 1.761 seconds over Dennis Ramsey. Contender Michael Patterson, driving the lone Camaro in field, suffered a mechanical failure and pulled off early.

“We’re just happy to have at least one Camaro out here, but unfortunately he broke,” Byerly said of Patterson. “I think he said he broke the diff, but next year I’m sure he’ll be showing us the way around COTA because that’s where we’re going next year.

For Byerly, the finish couldn’t come soon enough.

“The Toyo tires were doing all right, but this car was smoking,” he said. “We basically run a stock car and the trans was overheated, it was done. I was begging for that white flag for five laps. I knew I couldn’t shift anymore. It was crazy. I just got lucky.”

American Iron Extreme

Robert Shaw

Robert Shaw was the only competitor in the American Iron Extreme race, but stepped it up a notch on Sunday, even though he was essentially running by himself. His fast lap of 2:19.509 was easily the best he turned all weekend.

Super Touring 1

Dmitri Goliakov

Dmitri Goliakov captured the ST1 class with a solid effort, and was the only one of the drivers to complete 15 laps. Goliakov managed to run a clean race, something not all of his competitors were able to do.

“It feels great,” he said. “Thanks to the staff. Too bad for the Panoz (Brian Goldburg). He was strong, but unfortunately cut a tire. Then the Elan (Franklin Futrelle) was pushing for a little bit. He got caught in traffic.”

Goliakov said 45 minutes in the heat takes its toll, especially during a red-flag period.

“I was sitting over there talking to my guys and say ‘Hey, a cold martini would be nice right now because I’m sitting in an oven.’ It takes a lot out of you, I’m exhausted.”

Super Touring 2

Ken Mantovani

Scott Argow and Ken Montovani had a hard-fought battle in the ST2 class, and Argow crossed the finish line first, but when the officials released the final results, it was Montovani who was awarded the Championship.

Super Touring 3

Mark Burt

Sebring International Raceway is Mark Burt’s home track, which meant he was familiar with its intricacies. So, when the rain started coming down after the race began, Burt knew the wet line and where to find grip. Burt also had been keeping a little something in reserve for Sunday’s Championship race.

“I put fresh tires on and I just drove it harder. Always save a little bit for the last race,” he said. “That way, nobody knows or expects you. This is my home track, so I know a little bit more than these guys who have only been here once.”

Super Touring 4

Stephen Pearce

Stephen Pearce drove his Honda S2000 to victory in the ST4 class, out-dueling David Davison by less than a second to capture the title.

“That was a great race,” Pearce said. “I couldn’t ask for anything else. I love the track. It’s a fantastic time. We came down in January for the first time to get the lay of the land. I think it paid off.”

Super Unlimited

Bryan Putt

Bryan Putt captured the competitive Super Unlimited class in his Elan DP02, but not without a solid fight from Charles Wicht in his Ligier JS P3. After Putt pulled out in front, Wicht was coming at him all race long, but spun out when the two made contact at Turn 7.

“It went well because we got the win,” Putt said. “Charles in the LMP3 car was running really good and I had to pedal as hard as I could. It was a great day.”

NP01

Jay Aranha

Jay Aranha captured the win in the Tom Hahn-built Elan NP01, although Charles Liniger didn’t make it easy on him. But Liniger didn’t have luck on his side, and Aranha’s car was running great.

“It was a great race, pretty clean in the beginning,” Aranha said. “We were just trying to stay out of any trouble out there. Charles ran an amazing race, but he got caught up behind the pace car on a yellow and ended up losing a lap. It was awesome racing and this is an amazing car.”

German Touring Series 4

Randy Mueller

Randy Mueller didn’t exactly play possum, but he wasn’t in a hurry to tip his hand completely, either. After seeing what the car could do, he was in no hurry to put it through the punishment known as Sebring International Raceway. But when it counted, he took the victory by 6.778 seconds over Robert Ferriol.

“It was good,” Mueller said. “We did the first qualifying race and I saw where we were time-wise, and then decided to park the car the rest of the weekend and save it for this race. All-in-all it was a good race.”

Spec E30

Carlos Mendez

Carlos Mendez captured the Spec E30 victory in a thrilling finish, briefly surrendering the lead on the last lap, but grabbing it right back momentarily later and took the checkered flag.

“The last lap was crazy,” Mendez said. “In the last turn, going into 17, I ran a defensive line and Brian Edmonds came in on the inside, and he passed me and I thought this might be the end. I might finish second. I kind of went under him through 17 and I made it, and I can’t believe it. I’m still in shock.”

944 Spec

Dan Pina

Dan Piña captured his second 944 Spec Championship by taking a 1.967-second victory over Jason Stanley.

“Honestly, that whole race wouldn’t have happened without teamwork,” Piña said. “You know in 2015 when I won, I got lucky. The two top guys took each other out, so that was an inheritance. I really wanted to win this one. Honestly, I have to give a huge thank you to Bob Keller. He paid the price.”

Keller, who had been having temperature problems all weekend, overheated, leaving Piña to hold off Stanley and Kyle Kimball at the end.

“Kyle and Jason hooked up and once they did that, oh, man, they were both coming for me,” Piña said. “Once I saw Jason’s yellow car get in front of that orange one, I knew I was in trouble, and luckily the clock ran out before he could get to me.”

German Touring Series 1

Clarice Lee

Clarice Lee took the default victory once again as the only car in her class, completing nine laps in a race that was marred by rain and a black flag due to track conditions. But the rain went away quickly and racing resumed, where she took home the championship.

German Touring Series 2

Scott Blair

After winning both qualifying races, Scott Blair went out and completed the trifecta by capturing the Eastern States Championship by 11 seconds over Aaron Nash.

“You have a plan what you’re going to do, and then it starts dumping on you and it all goes right out the window,” Blair said. “I was still in the lead so I tried to drive to the limit in the rain. I tried not to overdrive the car, just enough to stay in the lead.”

German Touring Series 3

Michael Camus

It was an up-and-down weekend for Michael Camus, but ended on a high note, as he took the victory in the GTS3 class. The final margin of victory showed 9.591 seconds, but Camus had to work hard for the win.

“It was a great battle,” Camus said. “The rain came, I did four donuts. I recovered and I was in fifth overall. The track kept drying and I kept getting faster and faster, and I pulled away from everybody. I really had a great time. It’s my first NASA Championship, ever.”

HPD Honda Challenge 2

Robert Paszkiewicz

Robert Paszkiewicz made it three for three with his victory in the HPD Honda Challenge 2 class, sweeping both qualifying races and taking the win in the Championships. Unlike the qualifying races, Paszkiewicz had to bear down on Sunday and his margin of victory was 3.257 seconds.

“I went off in the rain, I spun off,” he said. “It sucks it happened, but I’m glad it happened because I had to work for it, so it makes me feel like I earned this trophy instead of just sailing home with a win.

Paszkiewicz said he’d definitely like to hit the Championships next year.

“I’ve never been to COTA. I’d like to,” he said. “Hopefully we get a good turnout in our class, so why not go out there and give it a shot?”

Performance Touring C

Aaron Michelet

Aaron Michelet captured both qualifying races and followed that up with the Eastern States Championship. Not bad for somebody racing a PTD car in the faster PTC class. It wasn’t easy, however, because he had to fight off a hard-charging Michael Globe the last two times on the track, and won the Championship by 1.201 seconds.

“That was crazy,” Michelet said. “It’s everything my dad and I have been working for and I can’t thank him enough for giving me a great car. And Mazda and Hoosier Tires, for giving me a great contingency, I can’t even put into words how I feel right now.”

Michelet knew Globe was going to be coming hard at the end.

“My dad’s on the radio telling me he’s a half-second behind. If I hadn’t taken Turn 7 on the inside line, I wouldn’t have been a champion today. That was the race right there. Then the last lap, I almost blew it in 7. He was right there again.”

Performance Touring E

Brian Henderson

Brian Henderson took the victory in PTE after having some issues earlier in the day in the Spec Miata race. Henderson took the checkered flag by a margin of 3.752 seconds over Tyler Harrell.

“That was a wild race, with all the traffic and then the rain came,” Henderson said. “I didn’t know if I was going to make it until the end of the race, but I’m glad I came out on top. It has been a very long weekend. We lost one car in Spec Miata, didn’t the finish the race due to an electrical issue. This makes the weekend a lot better. I’m glad we got it.”

Spec E46

Broderick Bauguess

After winning Friday’s qualifying race, Broderick Bauguess had some issues Saturday. But when it counted most, he turned in a big performance to grab the Spec E46 Championship.

“The rain really threw a wrench into plans,” he said. “Being on slicks, it was like an ice skating rink out there.”

Once the track started to dry, Bauguess was able to lay down some solid lap times.

“The first few laps it was tricky. Everybody was being careful, but then it got better and I was able to put a gap on second place,” he said. “It’s pretty incredible because we had an incident yesterday. Our friends at Crucial Motorsports helped us get it back together. I’m really happy with it. Setting a track record for the class was pretty good.”

Spec Iron

Carmine Pace

Carmine Pace knows Sebring International Raceway pretty well, because it’s his home track. On Sunday, he was able to use that knowledge to his advantage and capture the Spec Iron class championship.

“The rain helped me out,” Pace said. “The rain came out and we had a restart. This is my home track. I had a dry line and just kept going. I was able to get away from Robert Miller and get ahead of him and finish the race.”

Pace had come close to winning a Championship, which is what made his victory all the more meaningful.

“I got my first championship, finally,” he said. “This is great. I had a second and a third the last two years and I was able to come up here and get the win.”

Thunder Roadster GTR

John Spain

When John Spain says the cars in the Thunder Roadster GTR class are equal, he’s not kidding. The top three finishers in Sunday’s Championship race were separated by .639 seconds, but it was Spain who crossed the finish line first.

“This class, these Gary Tinker cars, Toys by Tink, they’re all about parity,” Spain said. “We’re all equal and it’s all about the driver. I’ve been running with these guys for about four long years and it takes a long time to get to the pointy end of the field. They’re great drivers. Maybe this year is my turn, but I don’t think it will happen next year. They’re great guys and a tough field.”

Sebring, Fla., Oct. 22, 2017 —The battle for starting position picked up another notch on Saturday, as the second qualifying races in each class were held for the National Auto Sport Association’s Eastern States Championships presented by Toyo Tires at Sebring International Raceway.

While grid position may not have much impact on some of the smaller classes, the difference between starting on the first row or the fifth row in one of the 30-plus car fields could be the difference between finishing on the podium or not.

The qualifying races determine the starting grid for Sunday’s Championship races, held at the famed 3.74-mile Sebring track. More than 200 entries representing 10 of the National Auto Sport Association’s 15 regions are competing this weekend.

Spec Miata

Selin Rollan

An incident right at the start of the race led to a quick red flag. At the restart, Selin Rollan jumped out to a several-second lead and was able to hold off a hard-charging Jim Drago for a .113-second victory.

“It was tough out there,” Rollan said. “I knew he was there the whole time. I was looking out my mirror as much as I was looking out the windshield.”

Rollan said he caught a bit of the incident at the start in his mirror.

“I’m glad I wasn’t involved in that,” he said. “I heard some missed shifts on the right side, I was lucky I was on the inside lane. It’s good to get a win, but this isn’t the big race. That’s tomorrow.”

American Iron

Bruce Byerly

Bryce Byerly won one for the Ford group, after Michael Patterson won in the lone Chevrolet in the field on Friday. Byerly improved his best lap time by half a second and went on to post a 3.351-second victory over Patrick Wehmeyer, with Patterson taking third.

“It was a great race. It was pretty exciting,” Byerly said. “It was pretty clean. It was a great day at Sebring.”

American Iron Extreme

Robert Shaw was the only competitor in the American Iron Extreme race, so he’s out on the track to have fun, which he did by posting a fast lap of 2:21.118, which is more than 1.1 seconds faster than he was in Friday’s qualifying race.

Super Touring 1

Dmitri Goliakov

Dmitri Goliakov had some issues Friday, but made up for them with a solid run on Saturday and claimed the ST1 class by an impressive 27.03 seconds. Goliakov showed the value of consistency at Sebring, as he had the second-fastest lap in the field, but ran away with the victory.

“It was good race out there,” he said. “Tomorrow should be a good one, and I’m looking forward to it.”

Super Touring 2

Firouz Haghighi

It was a bit of a haul for Firouz Haghighi to get to the Eastern States Championships, because he made the trip from Texas. But he’s certainly glad he did, because he not only took the ST2 class victory, but he also got to see Sebring International Raceway for the first time.

“It was a great race,” Haghighi said. “This is my first time here, I’m from Texas, and it’s a great track. I really like it. It’s such a historic track and a great event.”

Super Touring 3

Kevin Harvey

Kevin Harvey is having a great time at Sebring, although it probably doesn’t hurt that he won both qualifying races in the ST3 class. The key to winning at Sebring isn’t all that different from winning anywhere else, he said.

“You just have to run a smart race, hit your marks,” Harvey said. “You have to run smart the first couple of laps and stay out of trouble, and after that, you just hit your marks from then on. That, and manage traffic. That helps all the way through.”

Super Touring 4

Stephen Pearce

Stephen Pearce drove his Honda S2000 to victory in the ST4 class, showing a solid 1.9-second improvement from his best lap time on Friday. He won the race by 11.84 seconds.

“It felt good out there,” he said. “It was a great race. Tomorrow will be exciting. I’m looking forward to it.”

Super Unlimited

Bryan Putt

After Bryan Putt and Charles Wicht crossed the line finish line together on Friday, Putt didn’t take any chances on Saturday, racing out to the lead and posting a solid victory in the Super Unlimited class. Putt’s lap of 2:04.26 was more than 1.6 seconds faster than he was Friday.

“It was a good day,” Putt said. “I was able to get on it and the car felt really great, and I was confident. After the first lap, I got enough of a gap where I could focus in for two laps before we hit any traffic. Tomorrow’s a long race. The LMP3 car is really fast, so I’m going to have to work.”

NP01

Charles Liniger

Charles Liniger evened things up in the NP01 class with a victory in the second race, when his competition had some car problems. Saturday also was much better for Liniger from a time standpoint, because he shaved 1.4 seconds off his best lap on Friday.

“Today was a good day,” Liniger said. “I was finally able to find some speed. I knew the car could do it. I’m looking forward to tomorrow.”

German Touring Series 4

Robert Ferriol

When you show a margin of victory that reads 26.127 seconds over a talented field of GTS4 drivers, you know you’ve done something right, and Robert Ferriol turned in an impressive performance on his way to the win. He’s still looking for improvement before Sunday’s Championship races take place.

“It was a good race,” Ferriol said. “The traffic really didn’t bother me, but I’m going to have to get a little more grip there in the back.”

Spec E30

Scott McKay

Starting and winning a race from pole position is a rush, but the races in which you have to fight your way forward, those are special. Just ask Spec E30 racer Scott McKay, who started from fourth position, took the lead and survived a caution period and a late race charge from three-time Spec E30 Champion, Sandro Espinosa.

“I had the lead when it went yellow after starting from fourth by making some aggressive early moves, but the better drivers in this field are right behind me. Some strong drivers finished second and third,” McKay said. “It’s easier to chase somebody than it is to drive out front. The guys in the back, they just have more energy and more motivation. When you’re out front, all you have is nervous energy. The guys behind me were certainly doing a better job of catching me than I was doing of getting away. Luckily the race was just short enough today.”

944 Spec

Kyle Kimball

Sometimes what it takes to win a qualifying race in the NASA Championships is a little opportunity, the guts to take advantage of it and the speed to hold it. 944 Spec racer Kyle Kimball saw his chance to snare first place and he jumped on it.

“I got a really great start and Jason Stanley got sideways going into Turn 1, and he screwed up all the other people in front of me, so by Turn 2, I made the pass for first place and I was able to keep it there for the rest of the race,” Kimball said. “The restart was as good as I could have hoped for. I put some cars between me and the guy behind me and just kept it that way for the rest of the race.”

German Touring Series 1

Clarice Lee took the default victory once again as the only car in her class and was fairly consistent with her times between Friday and Saturday.

German Touring Series 2

Scott Blair

Scott Blair gave himself a little breathing room in Saturday’s victory in the GTS2 class. After winning by 1.895 seconds on Friday, he won by 6.5 seconds on Saturday.

“On the start I passed a couple of cars in the next class up,” Blair said. “Then, I guess it would be Turn 4, someone lost it, and I was able to just scoot by and he slowed everyone up behind me. I was able to get a few good laps in and then make sure I didn’t see anyone in my mirror.”

Blair was looking forward to Sunday’s 45-minute Championship race.

“It’s going to be fun,” he said. “It’s going to be exhausting, I just hope I’m not starving by the end.”

German Touring Series 3

Roberto Crescencio

Roberto Crescencio captured the GTS3 class by .172 seconds over second-place finisher Michael Camus. There was a 22-second gap to the third-place finisher.

“Michael has the pace,” Crescencio said. “It’s very difficult for me to keep up.”

Crescencio said it’s going to be difficult to win a 45-minute race, but he’ll be there ready to pounce if the opportunity presents itself.

“I wish I could say I could win on true pace, but I’ll need him to make a mistake.”

“I’m trying to save it for tomorrow and just be out there trying to have fun,” he said.”

Paskiewicz wasn’t too concerned with weather forecasts that are calling for thunderstorms roughly 30 minutes after the completion of the final race.

“The weatherman can be right or wrong and he still has a job,” he said. “The only thing we can do is hope for the best.”

Performance Touring C

Aaron Michelet

Aaron Michelet may be racing against faster cars – having jumped up to the PTC class while racing a PTD car, but he was able to make it two for two with a 2.104-second victory over Michael Globe on Saturday.

“I got lucky on the first lap,” Michelet said. “Traffic helped me out and he (Globe) kept catching me and was gaining half-a-second a lap.”

Michelet said it would be great to bring home the Eastern States Championship.

“I’m really looking forward to it. It’s what my dad and I have been working on, to try and win this year,” he said. “Moving to PTC just for this event, we knew it was going to be a challenge, but it would be an even greater win if we were able to come out with it.

Performance Touring E

Tyler Harrell

After not being able to race Friday, Tyler Harrell made up for it with a victory in the PTE class, as he pulled out a squeaker, edging Brian Henderson by .216 seconds for the victory.

“It was good,” he said. “Yesterday I didn’t run in the race. I had a hub blow. We got here early this morning. I went out in warm-ups and was a couple seconds off. On the start I kind of got in front of him and held him off the whole race. This is my first time here and it’s a blast.”

Spec E46

Jeff Bennett

Jeff Bennett and Jason Adams battled all race long, but it was Bennett who was able to win the sprint to the finish line and come away with a .204-second victory.

“It was a lot of fun,” Bennett said. “It was a tremendous battle between me and Jason Adams. He got caught up in a caution at the end of the race and I had more momentum. If he hadn’t had that little slowdown, I don’t think I would have gotten him.”

Spec Iron

Carmine Pace

Carmine Pace and Robert Miller had a great battle in the Spec Iron class, with Pace taking the .661-victory over Friday’s winner.

“It was great,” Pace said. “I started second and fell in behind Miller again. I was able to stick with him the first couple of laps and passed him on the third lap and from there it was try to make sure I didn’t make many mistakes and hold him up behind me. We were neck-and-neck all race long. The last few laps I was checking my mirrors. Tomorrow’s going to be a blast. We’ve been going at it all weekend long.”

Thunder Roadster GTR

Gary Tinker

Gary Tinker likes to win, but he also likes the thrill of close competition, which is why he loves competing in the Thunder Roadster GTR class, and why he wasn’t as pleased with his 24-second victory as one might think.

“I got away from them a little bit, so it wasn’t as exciting,” he said. “I was able to get some traffic in between them and me.”

NASA’s top race teams took the first steps toward the coveted Eastern States Championships presented by Toyo Tires, with the beginning of the qualifying races on Friday at Sebring International Raceway.

Spec Miata

Jim Drago came out on top in a four-man battle that saw several lead changes and plenty of good, clean racing up front in Spec Miata.

“It was a fun race,” Drago said. “The guys I was racing with, I think we’ve all raced together for seven or eight years. Todd Buras, myself, Danny Steyn and Selin Rollan have all battled. All of us raced really hard and I don’t think any of us ever touched. I didn’t know if I was going to finish first or fourth.”

American Iron

Michael Patterson is a bit of a lone wolf, competing in a Chevrolet Camaro, while all of his competitors are driving Mustangs, but he turned in a pretty dominant performance Friday to take the victory.

“The one Chevy versus 10 Mustangs, I can’t complain,” Patterson said. “This is my first time here. I practiced it yesterday and learned a little more this morning and put it on the pole for the race. The race went off without a hitch. I kept it on the track. Some of my competitors didn’t.”

American Iron Extreme

Robert Shaw was the only one of the four who had entered the Championships to make it to the track, giving him a default win today, but not taking away from the fun he was having.

“I’m trying to get some more AIX guys out,” Shaw said. “I think COTA is going to do it next year.”

Shaw still has goals when he’s on the track, even if he’s competing by himself.

“I just pick some guys who look mean and evil; I love the Cup cars, I love the Corvettes and whoever is fast, that’s who I try to stick with.”

Super Touring 1

The battle in ST1 was a good one, between Franklin Futrelle in his Elan NP01 and Brian Goldburg in his Panoz GTS, but it was Futrelle who crossed the finish line 1.067 seconds in front.

“We knew it was going to be an interesting race,” Futrelle said. “There was about .8 or .9 seconds separating the whole field during qualifying. It was a little more intense than I thought it would be for a qualifying race. We had an interesting start with an incident.

“I managed to get the lead on the restart and hold off the guys for the last four or five laps. I’m happy for the Elan guys and happy to showcase this car for the ST1 class. It’s a great start to the weekend. It’s great weather and great people at NASA, who always make it fun and that’s the most important thing.”

Super Touring 2

Ken Mantovani took the checkered filed in his 2003 Corvette Z06, finishing 2.669 seconds ahead of Scott Argow in a solid battle for the top spot in the class.

“It was interesting,” Mantovani said. “In the beginning, it was a little hairy. A couple of cars went off track and then we had that incident up on the wall with the Mustang. Other than that the rest of the race was pretty clean. It was good clean racing.”

Super Touring 3

One of the first things any new driver learns about Sebring International Raceway is that talks of its bumpiness are not exaggerations. Kevin Harvey learned that a few weeks ago, but still enjoyed himself on his way to a 5.805-second victory.

“It was a great race,” Harvey said. “We put together a great car for this event. Four weeks ago is the first time I came here. This is a driver’s track. Every time my head hits the roll bar, I think ‘Yeah, there’s bumps.’”

Super Touring 4

Todd Buras had just wrapped up a grueling battle in the Spec Miata class and then climbed into another Miata for battle in the ST4 class and came away with an impressive 10-second victory in Friday’s qualifying race.

“It got really hot and sweaty,” Buras said. “It was a good race and the field is completely different. The difference between this car and that (Spec Miata) car is night and day.”

Super Unlimited

Bryan Putt looked unstoppable in his Mazda-powered Elan DP02 during the morning qualifying session, but Charles Wicht had other ideas in the qualifying race. The two diced back and forth all race long, taking advantage of traffic when possible, or having trouble getting around slower cars. Finally, in a last-second sprint across the finish line to take the checkered flag, Bryan Putt emerged victorious by a fraction of a second.

NP01

The No. 51 NASA NP01 of Tom Hahn and Jay Aranha turned in a solid performance and notched a best lap of 2:21.319 on its way to an impressive victory.

“It was awesome,” said. Arahna. “It was super amazing and a lot of fun. The traffic was fine. Hopefully we’ll keep it up and try to best the track record we just laid down.”

German Touring Series 4

Robert Ferriol took the class win in a highly competitive race, but wasn’t about to rest on his laurels, having some things he wants to do to the car before returning to the track.

“I think the track was a little warm toward the end of the race,” Ferriol said. “The back of my car started to let go a little bit, but it held out. For tomorrow, I’d like to find some more grip in the back. We’ll probably play with pressures and sway bars to see if we can get a little bit more.

Spec E30

Scott McKay was able to outlast 32 other drivers and take the victory in the highly competitive Spec E30 class, winning by a margin of 1.627 seconds over Carlos Mendez.

“There was a good race going on and I had a nice lead and then a yellow flag came out and I had to give it all back and do a restart,” McKay said. “You get into a championship race and get all fired up and it takes more out of you then you realize.”

944 Spec

There was some close competition in the 944 Spec class, where Dan Piña was able to fend off Robert Keller by a little more than a second to take the class victory.

“It was a lot of fun,” Piña said. “It was a lot of work. We caught up to the E30s faster than I thought I would. Bob Keller and I had a great scrap. It was a battle. That last lap was a real scrap.”

German Touring Series 1

Clarice Lee may have been the only car in her class, GTS1, but the resident from nearby Winter Haven, Fla., made sure she enjoyed herself out on the track, despite several accidents during her group.

“The flaggers are doing their job really well,” she said. “Sebring is my home track. I’ve been driving here for seven years and racing for about three.”

German Touring Series 2

Scott Blair was able to take the victory in the GTS2 class by 1.913 seconds over Aaron Nash in yet another competitive race.

“It was a tough race,” Blair said. “I’m trying to get in the rhythm and get ahead of the track. I’m trying to stay clean out there, be smooth and stay consistent.”

German Touring Series 3

Michael Camus posted a nice victory in the GTS3 class, using consistent driving to take the checkered flag.

“It was a great race,” Camus said. “I pulled out pretty well on everybody and the yellow flag got me stuck behind a Honda. At the restart everybody got such a great run on me.”

HPD Honda Challenge 2

Robert Paszkiewicz captured the victory in the HPD Honda Challenge 2 class, his first time racing in a few months and he was definitely grateful to be back behind the wheel.

“I haven’t driven since May and this is a great track,” Paszkiewicz said. “I like this track a lot.”

While Sebring is notorious for being demanding on both the car and the driver, Paszkiewicz said he and his car have a great relationship.

“We take care of each other and work together as a team,” he said.

Performance Touring C

Aaron Michelet grabbed the win in the PTC class, facing off against some quality competition.

“It was tough, especially going up against the MX-5 Cup car,” Michelet said. “I love Sebring except for the million elevation changes on a 3.74-mile course. It was really good racing. I had fun.”

Performance Touring E

Brian Henderson earned the victory in the PTE class by turning in some strong lap times and being consistent throughout the race. A yellow flag made Henderson work a bit harder down the stretch to preserve the win.

“It was a little tricky on the restart – I didn’t get that great of a start, but it all worked out,” Henderson said. “It was a good race and a lot of fun. I’m running Spec Miata, too, so it’s going to be a great weekend.”

Spec E46

Broderick Bauguess had never raced at Sebring International Raceway before, but he was able to take the class victory by more than 10 seconds.

“It was fun,” Bauguess said. “It’s a lot different than it looks on TV. On TV it looks a lot wider than it is. It’s my first time ever here. I just watched a lot of video from pro guys. It seemed to help a little bit.”

Spec Iron

Robert Miller is a tough customer in the Spec Iron class and he crossed the finish line first in Spec Iron, a NASA class that features identically prepared Ford Mustangs. However, during a caution period, NASA officials disqualified Miller and second-place finisher Carmine Pace for reckless driving while the emergency vehicle flag as out. That gave the win to Patrick Roof.

Thunder Roadster GTR

John Spain captured a narrow victory in the Thunder Roadster GTR class, winning by 1.378 seconds over Mike Rea.

“It was a lot of fun,” Spain said. “I love racing with these GTR guys. It’s been a long road to get to the front of the pack because there’s a lot of really good racers. It’s the most fun you can have in a racecar – GTR".